Semaglutide is a synthetic, long-acting analog of glucagon-like peptide-1, used to treat diabetes and obesity. Ozempic TM is a once-per-week injection formulation, while Rybelsus TM is a daily pill. Semaglutide mildly shifted some CSF AD biomarkers, although the drug is not expected to reduce amyloid.

Understanding the Context

Some scientists believe semaglutide could prevent AD or other dementias, if started earlier. Scheltens P, Atri A, Feldman H, Hansson O, Knop F, Sano M, Dethlefsen C, Johannsen P, León T, Hansen CT, Cummings J. Baseline Characteristics from Evoke and Evoke+: Two Phase 3 Randomized Placebo-controlled Trials of Oral Semaglutide in Patients with Early Alzheimer's Disease (P11-9.013). Rubin R.

Key Insights

Could GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Like Semaglutide Treat Addiction, Alzheimer Disease, and Other Conditions?. JAMA. 2024 May 14;331 (18):1519-1521. PubMed. Semaglutide ameliorates cognition and glucose metabolism dysfunction in the 3xTg mouse model of Alzheimer's disease via the GLP-1R/SIRT1/GLUT4 pathway.

Final Thoughts

Neuropharmacology. 2023 Dec 1;240:109716. A feasibility study of the combination of intranasal insulin with oral semaglutide for cognition in older adults with metabolic syndrome at high dementia risk- Study rationale and design. Knudsen LB, Lau J. The Discovery and Development of Liraglutide and Semaglutide. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne).

2019;10:155. Epub 2019 Apr 12 PubMed. Boboc IK, Dumitrelea PD, Meca AD, Mititelu-Tartau L, Bogdan M. Exploring the Impact of Semaglutide on Cognitive Function and Anxiety-Related Behaviors in a Murine Model of Alzheimer's Disease.